Polish Airforce Sukhoi SU-22M4 Fitters visit Reims Champagne flying local missions with the AdlA Mirage F1CRs Summer 2006

June 2006 marked the arrival of Polish Air Force Sukhoi Su-22M4 jets at Base Aérienne 112 Reims-Champagne, located approximately 130 kilometres Northeast of Paris, France. They were deployed for approximately three weeks and flew missions with the home-based Reconnaissance-based Dassault Mirage F1CRs from 1/33 Belfort Squadron and 2/33 Savoie. I cannot be certain of the Polish base from which they deployed, as four tactical air squadrons operated the type at the time. They were the 8 ELT (Squadron) from 12 BLOT (Air Base) at Miroslawiec, 40 ELT from 21 BLOT Swidnica Smardzko, and 6 ELT and 7 ELT operating from 33 BLOT at Powidz. 

The weather during their last week of deployment was glorious, although taking photographs in these beautiful conditions caused problems with heat haze. 

The last week of their deployment coincided with the 2nd of July air show at BA103, Cambrai Base Aérienne, located further north of Reims. A bonus during this final week at Reims was the deployment of Belgian Air Force F-16s and a couple of SIAI 260s transiting from or to BA709 Cognac-Chateauxbernard airbase in the Southwest of France.

All great memories from a super-base in its day, and even more poignant with this year's final withdrawal from service of this great aircraft from the Polish Air Force. They also looked different in their camouflage colours nineteen years ago; they finished their active service in a grey scheme in October 2025.

8309 SU-22M-4 Polish Air Force.

This aircraft flew to the end of the type's operational service with the Polish Air Force in October 2025. 

8309 SU-22M-4 Visited the 2023 International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, not in this 2006 camouflage scheme.

8309 awaits clearance to runway 25.

8920 SU-22M-4 Polish Air Force.

Status: It was withdrawn from service in 2014; its fate is unknown.

8920 SU-22M-4 Polish Air Force, cleared to line up for its mission.

Arriving back at BA112 Reims Champagne.

642 33-NC Mirage F1CR.

Status: To the civil register as N629AY.

3817 SU-22M-4 Polish Air Force, arriving back at Reims.

Status: Withdrawn from use in 2023; again, its fate is unknown.

642 33-NC Mirage F1CR lands after escorting 3817 back to Reims.

640 33-NV Mirage F1CR taking off at BA

8920 SU-22M-4 SU-22M-4 Polish Air Force taxies from runway 07 at Reims Champagne.

8920 SU-22M-4 close up.

651 33-NB Mirage F1CR with the iconic landscape backdrop at BA112 Riems-Champagne.

606,616, and 662 line up on the last chance.

3817 SU-22M-4 Polish Air Force.

3817 SU-22M-4.

610 33-CI   Mirage F1CR 1/33 Belfort 'Red Lion'

Status: 118-CI to an Instructional Airframe at Rochefort St Agnant.

Today, an MQ-9 Drone squadron.

653 33-CV Mirage F1CR 1/33 Belfort 'Petit Prince'

Status: Today, in the civil register, it shows N633AX.

The 'Petit Prince today operates Grob G120A-F aircraft at BA709 Cognac/Châteabernard.

647 33-NF  Mirage F1CR.

Status: Another one transferred to an instructional airframe at Base Aérienne 721 Rochefort as 118-CI.

640 33-NV  Mirage F1CR.

Status: Stored in the USA.

653 33-CZ  Mirage F1CR.

Status: registered with the US Civil register as N645AX.

FA133 and FB-12 Lockheed Martin/SABACA F-16s from Florennes 1 sqn 2 Wing Belgian Air Force.

FA-56 and FB-15 31 Sqn OCU 10 Wing BAF from Kliene Brogel.

ST-12 and ST19 SF-260MB 5 Sqn 1Wing BAF at Beauvechain.

518 30-SR Mirage F1B EC.01.030. BA132 Colmar/Meyenheim.

Status: Preserved at the Lyon Corbas Museum, coded 5-OM.

Great Memories.

Air Tournament International (ATI)1992 RAF Boscombe Down.

Two years following our previous visit, RAF Boscombe Down hosted the 1992 Air Tournament International (ATI) over the weekend of June 13th and 14th. This year's event showcased significantly improved weather conditions compared to the 1990 airshow. The theme for the 1992 event was "Salute to the USAF 8th Air Force," and it is widely regarded as one of the best airshows in the UK.

A notable aspect of the event was the East meets West theme, highlighted by the participation of the Russian Air Forces, represented by Anatoly Kvotchur flying a Su-27 Flanker, accompanied by an Aeroflot Tu-134A. The Czechoslovakian Air Force added to the diversity of the lineup with an impressive display of MiG-29s, Su-22 Fitters, L-39s, and Su-24s, supported by an An-12 and a Tu-154B, which has the NATO reporting name "Careless."

Additionally, the event featured a variety of iconic aircraft, including the F-14B Tomcat, F-16A, B-52G bomber, Vulcan, and Phantom FGR2. The B-24 Liberator, known as "Diamond Lil," provided by the Confederate Air Force, further enriched the show. Overall, the 1992 ATI offered a remarkable and memorable experience for all attendees.

XS904 Lightning F6 arriving from BAE Warton.

XS904 Lightning F6 Looking superb against the Wiltshire countryside.

Status:- Stored at Bruntingthorpe.

XH134/AA Canberra PR9 39Sqn (1PRU) Badge RAF.

Status:- To the civil register as G-OMHD.

XV408 Phantom FGR2 92Sqn RAF.

 

XV408 Phantom FGR2 RAF.

Status:- Tangmere Military Aviation Museum.

Phantom FGR2 XV408 makes a dramatic Monday morning departure from RAF Boscombe Down.

Up close for the photographers.

XV423 Phantom FGR2 74 Tiger Sqn RAF. 

ZE251/DE Tornado F3 11 Sqn RAF.

XX312 Hawk T1 100Sqn RAF.

ZD704 HS-125.CC3 32Sqn RAF.

Status:- Wfu and became an Instructional Airframe at Newquay Airport.

WB531 Devon C2. RAF.

Status Preserved Leystad in the Netherlands.

XL161 Victor K2. 55sqn RAF. Making a low pass.

Status scrapped.

XL161 Victor K2  RAF, arriving at Boscombe Down.

XZ575/134 BD Seaking HU5. A&AEE.

Status stored Charlwood (ASL Logic).

XL564/4 HunterT7 ETPS.

Written off on 06 August 1998.

ZG706/E Tornado GR1A SAOEU.

Status scrapped.

XX343/3 Hawk T.1 ETPS.

Written off 08 April 1998.

Bottom to top, KF183 Havard T2, XV182/182 Hercules C1 and XS596 Andover C1PR.

KF183 Havard T2, A&AEE.

To the civil register as G-CORS.

ZD318 Harrier GR.7 A&AEE.

Stored at RAF Wittering Harrier Heritage Centre.

Harrier GR5 and GR7s from 233 OCU RAF

ZD324/B W/O Oct 1997, ZD401/AA scrapped, and ZD432/N W/O Nov 1993.

WL417 Meteor T7 Special Martin Baker.

Status Scrapped.

402366/N24927 B-24A Liberator, Confederate Air Force.

'Diamond Lil' Taxiing at Boscombe Down.

402366/N24927 B-24A Liberator 'DIAMOND LIL'

Run and break.

KL161/N88972 B-25D Mitchell.

0601 TU-154 B2 61dlt Czechoslovakian Airforce.

0601 TU-154B2 wearing full Czechoslovakian Air Force titles before the January 1993 split between the two countries.

13 Sqn RAF Tornado breaks from escorting two MiG-29s and a SU-22M4. 

?/Z Tornado GR1A 13Sqn from RAF Honington.

3911 MiG-29A breaks for landing.

3911 MiG-29A 1Sqn/11Regt,  Czechoslovakian Airforce.

5616 MiG-29A  1sqn Czechoslovakian Air Force.

4009/29 SU-22M4 25sqn/20Regt, Czechoslovakian Airforce.

5015 L-39A 'Albertros' 1sqn/11Regt, Czechoslovakian Airforce.

5017 L-39A Czechoslovakian Air Force departing RAF Boscombe Down.

9013 SU-25K 1sqn/30Regt Czechoslovakian Air Force, arriving at RAF Boscombe Down.

9013 SU-25K Czechoslovakian Air Force, what a year!

 

9013 SU-25K departing RAF Boscombe Down.

2105 AN-12BP 1sqn/1Regt departing the amazing 1992 Air Tournament International.

10+03 Boeing 707-307C landing at Boscombe Down.

10+03 B.707-307C Luftwaffe.

Status to the civil register as 3D-SCF.

40+26 Alpha Jet JBG-49 WGAF.

 

46+26 Tornado ECR JBG-32 WGAF.

35+86 RF-4E Phantom AKG-52 WGAF.

Status to Greece as 7533.

35+86 RF-4E departs ATI 92.

38+08 F-4F Phantom JG-74.

Stored at 309th AMARG as 72-1218/HO.

52+06 AN-26T TS-24 WGAF.

Ex EGAF to civil register as RA49267.

16+27 Hansa Jet JBG-32 WGAF.

The year of the Hansa! 

16+25 Hansa Jet JBG-32 WGAF.

46+19 Tornado MFG-2 arriving at ATI92.

43+72 Tornado MFG-1 departing RAF Boscombe Down.

595 SU-27P [TSAGI] CIS AF rolling with CCCP-65927 TU-134A of Aeroflot.

Side by side Airliner vs Fighter Jet!

Certainly, the biggest surprise at the ATI92.

162143/JM-24 VR-24 C-2A Greyhound USN.

163289/LT-7 P-3C Orion LT-7 USN, the first of four!

158569/LN-5  P-3C Orion VP-45 USN.

Stored at the China Lake weapons survivability lab.

163006/JA-06 P-3C Orion VX-1 USN. 

 

150505/24 EP-3C Orion VQ-2 USN.

159390/AA-700 S-3B Viking VS-32 USN.

163444/AA-300 F/A-18C VFA-83 USN.

Passed to the Blue Angels aerial demonstration Team.

WFU.

162925/AA-100 F-14B Tomcat VF-74 USN.

148892/JL-8892 KC-130F Hercules VR-22 USN.

Status Fort Worth USN Museum.

164181/NY-4181 KC-130T VMGR-452 USMC.

85-0080 B-1B Lancer 384WG USAF.

Status to Barksdale Museum.

64-14849 RC-135U 55WG USAF.

Active Combat SENT.

64-14849 RC-135U 55WG USAF.

Departs ATI92.

70-0452 C-5A Galaxy 436AW USAF.

80-0021 F-15C Eagle 57th FIS USAF Iceland.

80-0038/IS F-15C 57 FIS USAF.

70-2374/LN F-111F 48FW USAF.

68-0122/CC F-111D 27FW/552FS USAF.

68-0122/CC F-111D 27FW/552FS USAF.

80-0192/WR A-10A Thunderbolt II 81FW/92TFS USAF.

85-0095/EG F-15C Eagle 33FW USAF.

85-0134/EG F-15D Eagle 33FW USAF.

85-0132/EG F-15D Eagle 33FW USAF.

87-0282/SP F-16C Fighting Falcon 52FW USAF.

75-0556/OK E-3B Sentry 552WG USAF.

1802 E-3A Sentry 18sqn RSAF.

NZ6469/69 MB-339CB 40sqn RNZAF.

NZ6469/69 MB-339CB 40sqn RNZAF.

NZ7271 Boeing 727-22C 40sqn RNZAF.

304 P-3c Orion 320sqn RNLAF [KLu].

J-068 F-16B Fighting Falcon 313sqn RNLAF.

A-343 Alouette III 298sqn RNLAF.

CH-05 C-130H Hercules 20sm BAF.

To Pakistan as 4470.

BD-04 Mirage 5BD 42sm BAF.

AT-24 Alpha Jet 1B 9wg BAF.

AT-11 Alpha Jet 1B sp/cs 9wg BAF.

8 F-8E 12F FN.

Preserved at Orange AB.

29 F-8E 12F FN.

0010/AGT Cessna 406 3 GHL Armée de Terre.

 

273 and 307 F-16A and B 332SKV RNorAF.

133 F-5A 336SKV RNorAF. 

J-4032 Hunter F58 Patrouille Suisse deploying the brake-chute. 

68-0342/7-342 F-4E Phantom 7AHU THK.

T.19B-06/35-24 CN-235 AlA 35 EdA.

E.25-08/08 and E.79-08/11 CASA 101s Team Aquilla EdA.

Beyond XP849 Westland Scout AH.1 A&AEE.

AT-156 Sk. 35XD Draken ESK729 RDAF.

The Iconic moment when one of the Danish Air Force F-16s nearly took the photographers with it as it passed directly over us on full re-heat, we were all delighted, but sadly, the pilot was reprimanded on his return home. The aircraft was ET-612 a F-16B from ESK-729 RDAF.

Happy Days!

551 BAC 111-485 4 sqn Omani AF.

204 [02204] AN-26 HunAF coming from Szolnok airbase.

A97-190/90 C-130E Hercules 37sqn RAAF.

188760 CF-188A 439sqn RCAF.

188764 CF-188A 439sqn RCAF in complete Tiger colour scheme.

If you have made it this far, you will probably know why ATI92 is regarded as one of the UK's best-ever air shows. 

Happy Days indeed.